Snowflake
by Freakyleaf
Summary: Just as sure as snowflakes are cold, I'm sure Sheena and Zelos will love each other until the day all the snow in Flanoir melts. Part of the "Fidelity" series.


**Dedication: All the Fidelity fans!**

**Warnings: Cute fluff.**

**Inspiration: Cherry!**

**Setting: Flanoir.**

**XOXOXOXO**

**X (Snowflake) X**

"Look, look! There's white stuff coming out of the sky, mommy!" Mina cried frantically, diving into the guest bed Sheena and Zelos were sharing. That week was the one that her parents had decided to visit Taro in Flanoir. "Daddy, wake up! Look outside!" The six-year-old bounced on her father's chest. "Uncle Taro, make them wake up."

The fallen priest has been awake since dawn, polishing his oddball revolver (unlike most handguns, his had double barrels). He smiled over at Mina. "Let them sleep. It's just snow."

Mina climbed off the bed and crawled into Taro's lap. "Snow . . . ?"

"It's uh . . . really cold, frozen water. Like rain," he explained, wrapping the child up in his leather jacket like he always did. Besides, she was shivering like mad, being dressed only in a thin nightgown.

The mention of rain brought an excited smile to Mina's face. "Ohh, I know the rain! So the snow is chilly white rain."

Glancing toward Sheena and Zelos, both of them fast asleep, Taro asked slyly, "Wanna go outside and see it?"

**XOXOXOXO**

Now garbed in a big snow jacket, snow pants, rain boots, mittens, a scarf, and a hat, Mina was more than ready for action. She dove headlong into a snow bank just as soon as they got outside, tunneling like a dog.

Taro sat on his knees and made a full-arsenal of hard-packed snowballs, then dug a deep ditch to serve as a fort. "Hey, Mina! Snowball fight!"

"What's tha—" _Thwap_. Instead of finishing her inquiry, a snowball connected with her face, knocking the child onto her bottom. She looked thoroughly shocked, bright blue eyes traveling to the snowball on the ground.

Taro grimaced. "Did I throw it too hard? ...Aw, I'm sorry, Mina . . . I forgot. You oka—" This time it was he who got nuked with a massive ball of snow.

"Ha-ha, take _that_, uncle Taro!" Mina taunted, scooping up snow and making more and more snowballs to use in this war. The projectiles flew back and forth, covering both priest and child in snow and completely exhausting their energy by the time the sun was behind them.

The two of them were so numb it was difficult to hold the cups of hot chocolate they'd found on the counter inside for them. Mina pointed out that Sheena and Zelos were gone, out Taro simply laughed, figuring they were off enjoying themselves also.

"Are they having a snowball fight, too?" Mina asked with a small giggle. "I bet mommy would win!"

The fallen priest laughed and shook his head. Knowing Zelos, he was probably marching Sheena around the city, reminiscing and asking for hugs and kisses. "Yeah . . . Sheena _would_ win."

"How come it doesn't snow a lot in Mizuho and Mel . . . tokie-o?" the six-year-old asked, curling up in Taro's lap like a cat. "It only snows here, enough for a snowball fight!"

"It's _Meltokio_, and . . . I guess it's because of the Summon Spirit of ice," the priest said, his grin going devious as he thought about it. "Celsius."

"Ohh! I know Celsius!" Mina cried. "Wanna know what she taught me?" She climbed down from Taro's lap and smiled innocently.

"Show me."

Mina nodded in compliance and jumped as high as she could, then lashed out with a kick. Her landing was soft and exact — yes, she'd learned that from the Summon Spirit of ice (who was quite the martial artist), all right.

"Very good!" Taro laughed out loud, wondering if maybe she would grow up to fight like her parents.

"The Summon Spirits are my friends! My . . . only friends," she sighed. Not one of the other children in Mizuho had approached her, and none of them paid any attention to her when she talked to them first. "I wish I could have met Corrine . . . "

"Don't beat yourself up. Why . . . I'm yer friend! Get it?" Taro smiled encouragingly, placing the child on his lap.

"Really, uncle Taro?" Mina tilted her head back to peer at him.

"Yep! We can be best friends forever, you an' me, kiddo!" the priest cried with a large grin that was rather unusual on him, since his was usually sly and suggestive if there ever was such an expression.

Mina beamed in elation, her gaze turning toward the door as a snow-covered Sheena and Zelos stepped into the room. "Mommy, daddy! You're back!" she cried.

"Yep, and better than ever," Zelos agreed, slipping an arm around Sheena's waist.

The six-year-old clambered out of Taro's lap once again and shuffled over to her parents, looking up at her mother with those big blue eyes of hers. "Did you win, mommy?"

Baffled looks were passed between the couple, "Uh . . . win what?"

"The snowball fight!" Taro and Mina cried in unison.

Zelos laughed in realization. "Oh, of course she did. She pummeled me good."

A triumphant grin spread across Sheena's face as she caught on also. "Oh, yeah, and once I beat him down with snowballs, I buried him in a snow bank and force-fed him carrots."

A collective bout of laughter washed across the people in the room, but was soon followed by a thoughtful, almost awkward silence. "Mommy, Taro is my best friend," Mina stated abruptly, causing the priest to laugh.

"That's very good," Sheena said, smiling first down at her daughter, then at Taro.

"Is daddy your best friend?"

The redhead and Mizuho native exchanged glances, before the latter imitated Zelos and wrapped her arm around his waist. "Yes, and something much more." That said, she planted a kiss on his cheek and led him to the couch.

Mina sat with them, nestling into the spot between her parents, content with the response she had gotten. To her, "best friends" were as close as two people could get, but there was one thing she was unsure of —

"Are you going to be best friends _forever_?"

This time, Zelos kissed Sheena and answered, "Of course! Forever and beyond."

"Really?" Mina persisted, clasping her hands together. She just _had_ to be sure.

Taro spoke up for them, a knowing little grin playing about his face. "Just as sure as a snowflake is cold, I'm sure Sheena and Zelos will be best friends until they day all the snow in Flanoir melts."

"When will that be?"

"Never. The snow will always be here, and your parents will always love each other." Taro reclined into his chair, and Sheena leaned against Zelos, the two of them staring into the flames that burned in the fireplace, while snowflakes fell, one by one, outside the window.


End file.
